This invention relates to a smoking apparatus and, more particularly, to an apparatus which holds one or more smoking pipes and loose smoking material. The invention also relates to a method for assembling a smoking apparatus.
Most smoking systems designed to hold a smoking pipe and smoking material are relatively intricate and bulky, making them difficult to manufacture using common plastic injection molding techniques.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,214,658 and 5,465,738 disclose smoking systems in which a pipe is moved into accessible position by means of a resilient element when its cover is slid to the side. U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,164 discloses a smoking system adapted to fit snugly within a cigarette box. The configuration of these prior designs does not facilitate manufacture by plastic injection molding.
It is an object of this invention to provide a smoking system which is simple and economical to manufacture by common plastic injection molding techniques. It is a further object to provide a smoking system which renders filling of a pipe with smoking material simple. A still further object is to provide such a system in which there is a reduced risk of mishandling the pipe and spilling of smoking material.
Briefly, therefore, the invention is directed to a smoking apparatus of the type having a space for holding loose smoking material and a separate space for holding an elongate smoking pipe. There is a smoking insert having a smoking material receptacle for holding loose smoking material and a pipe receptacle for holding the pipe. The smoking material receptacle has a smoking material receptacle opening at the top thereof, a solid smoking material receptacle bottom, downwardly extending smoking material receptacle side walls, and a solid smoking material receptacle bottom. The pipe receptacle has a pipe receptacle opening at the top thereof, a solid pipe receptacle bottom, downwardly extending pipe receptacle side walls, and a solid pipe receptacle bottom. There is a smoking apparatus body for housing the insert having an external surface, an upper end, and a lower end.
In another aspect the smoking insert has an lip at its upper end adjacent its openings which rests on an upper end of the body when the insert is inserted into the body.
In a further embodiment, the smoking material receptacle side walls are tapered and have a width and depth to fit snugly within the first chamber of the apparatus body.
The invention is also directed to an embodiment in which the pipe receptacle side walls are tapered and have a width and depth to fit snugly within the second chamber of the apparatus body.
Still further the invention is directed to an embodiment in which the smoking apparatus body is tapered from its upper end to its lower end.
The invention is also directed to a smoking apparatus having a recess on the external surface of the body for receiving a label.
Still further, the invention is directed to a method for assembling a smoking apparatus of the type having a space for holding loose smoking material and a separate space for holding an elongate smoking pipe. A smoking insert having a smoking material receptacle for holding loose smoking material and a pipe receptacle for holding a pipe is inserted into a smoking apparatus body at the upper end of the smoking apparatus body.
Other objects and features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out below.